Dallas City News

Malik Nabers’ Quiet NFL Preseason Debut Leaves Giants Fans Wanting More vs. Lions – Doric Sam, Bleacher Report

Giants fans are eager to see a good showing from their first-round pick.

After watching weeks of highlight-reel catches by New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers during training camp, fans were hoping to see more of the same in the team’s preseason opener against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.

Unfortunately, Nabers had a quiet night before he was pulled from the game in the first quarter. The LSU product didn’t record any catches and wasn’t targeted during his time on the field.

Giants backup quarterback Drew Lock got the start in place of Daniel Jones and struggled to move the ball. To make matters worse, he barely looked Nabers’ way, which was surprising considering the 2024 No. 6 pick is New York’s most dangerous offensive player. Nabers also got some separation from defenders multiple times, but Lock couldn’t find him.

Fans waiting to see highlights of Nabers had to settle for a one-handed catch in pre-game warmups and a celebration after running back Eric Gray rushed for a 48-yard touchdown.

Perhaps Nabers will have a better showing when Jones returns to the lineup. For now, he will look toward the Giants’ second preseason game on Aug. 17 against the Houston Texans for his next opportunity to give fans the explosive plays they want to see.

Quarterback Nick Foles, Super Bowl LII Most Valuable Player, announces retirement as an Eagle – Nick Shook, NFL.com

Philly’s famous backup-QB-turned-Super-Bowl-winner is calling it a career.

Nick Foles announced on Thursday he is retiring. He will do so as a member of the Eagles when he returns to Philadelphia for their Sept. 16 home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, according to the team.

Foles played for six NFL teams over 11 professional seasons, including two stints with the Eagles from 2012-2014 and 2017-2018. The latter period is when Foles peaked, replacing an injured Carson Wentz during the 2017 season and leading Philadelphia on a stunning run to Super Bowl LII, in which Foles earned Super Bowl MVP in a triumph over the New England Patriots that included the iconic “Philly Special” play.

Foles’ surprising success caused a quarterback controversy in 2018 and eventually led Foles to pursue free agency, where he signed a four-year, $88 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. That run never got off the ground, though, as a broken collarbone derailed his start with the Jaguars and opened the door for rookie backup Gardner Minshew to make a case for the starting job.

Jacksonville traded Foles to Chicago in 2020, where he became a backup who made occasional starts in place of rookie Mitchell Trubisky. That would define the remainder of his career, which concluded with a stop in Indianapolis in 2022.

In total, Foles’ career was a tale of tantalizing potential and occasional clutch production, but, ultimately, proved to be a tumultuous journey. The highs were blissful but were never quite consistent enough to secure a firm job for the former third-round pick.

He retires with 71 games played, 58 starts, an even 29-29 record as a starter, 14,227 passing yards, 82 touchdowns, 47 interceptions and one legendary showing in the Super Bowl. He’ll officially hang it up with the team that drafted him out of Arizona in September.

Dan Quinn evaluates where Marcus Mariota stands with the Commanders – Brian Jones, On3.com

Dan Quinn notes how being “off-rhythm” is Mariota’s “superpower.”

Dan Quinn seems to like one thing Marcus Mariota does which separates himself from the other quarterbacks on the Washington Commanders roster. While speaking to reporters last week, the Commanders head coach revealed where Mariota stands with the team.

“I thought really all the QBs are doing a nice job not just throwing the ball but playing the position, getting in and out of plays,” Quinn said. “Part of Marcus’ superpower is getting outside and being off-rhythm. You’ll see different plays and different schemes as the quarterbacks play, so that will be one thing I keep an eye on moving forward.”

Mariota signed with the Commanders in March after spending the 2023 season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s expected to be the team’s backup QB as rookie Jayden Daniels will be the starter. In May, Mariota said he’s not afraid of a QB competition.

“I think competition makes everybody better,” Mariota said. “Regardless of who is the starter Day 1, I checked my ego a long time ago. I really believe that when you have a healthy quarterback room that’s really trying to compete and make each other better, you’re going to eventually get everybody in that room to play at their best level.

“Regardless of who’s the starter Week 1, I’m going to do everything I can to be the best version of myself and also bring out the best out of my teammates.”

“I’ve dealt with a lot of different things throughout my career. I’ve been a starter, won a playoff game. I’ve also been cut, I’ve also been injured, I’ve also been benched. So, I think all those experiences create value and also creates opportunities for me to build relationships with guys.”